Ukwazi nge Robben Island

Indawo Yakhona

©David Fleminger
Namhlanje, lendawo isilikhaya kubantu abayizakhamuzi impilo yabo yonke abawu 150. Kubo kunezisebenzi zenqolobane yomlandu, abakukhombisa ngejele, abakwa National Ports Authority, abaqaphe i lighthouse, abomnyango wakwaWorks nabambalwa omakadebona bakulezansuku.
Bawumphakathi omncane ocezile, kodwa omnandi. Izingane zihamba ngokukhululeka zivakashelana emakhaya akubo, izicabha azivalwa, Kumqondofana nase Canada ngendlela yokubuka izikhathi. Lendawu inemizi ewu 100, yashaywa uklele kamnandi emgwaqeni omkhulu. Ikhaya ngalinye linegceke eliwuthuli kunye nomphongolo wokufaka amanzi emvula. Okuyimizi ewu 40 enganabantu okwenza lendawo kube sengathi izwe lezipoki ebusuku. UCharle, inkosazane ephethe iPosi, wathi kimi baqukatha izincwadi eziwu 2000 ngenyanga, neposi lalapha esiqhingini selizuze izindodla zemikolomelo yokuba ngeliqikelelayo. Ibandla okwabe kungelase-Sheshi kodwa seliyi Dutch Reformed, lisaqhuba izinkonzo kabili ngenyanga.
Phakathi nendawo kunesitolo somphakathi esibizwa nge ‘Ledewinkel’. Kulakhona abahlali, kulesitolo bethenga khona, nezingane zihlupha umninistolo zifuna amaswidi amahhala. Phambi komnyango wesitolo kunendawo ebeka amatafula amabili epulastiki evumela abantu ukuhlangana bazixoxele mase lithambeme. Maduze nesitolo kunenkundla yezemidlalo nendawana yegalofu esikhathele (edume ngele Putt-Putt). Yayakhelwe ojele, isanakekelekile.

Izakhiwo Eziyingqophamlandu

©David Fleminger
Ngemumva kodonga olude kunendawo yokubhukuda, yilapho izingane zivamise ukuba khona ngezintambama, zizithamelele ilanga kukhonkolo ofudumele qede zidlale umadudulana kungenwa kwi swimming pool. Lendawo inenkundla yebhola lombhoxo nekhilikithi, eyayakhiwe ngamaBrithani (pho kungabuye kube ngobani).
Isiqhingi lesi sinenkulisa, enothisha ababili nabantwana aba 23. Asikho isikole samabanga aphakame, okuphoqa ukuba masezikhulile izingane ziyohlala eKapa kumbe zigibele isikebhe sezisebenzi esihamba njalo ngosuku. Okuwuhambo olunzima kumfundi, nokho, kunodaba lomfundi owayenza umatikuletsheni owehluleka ukuyobhala iphepha lokuphela konyaka, ngenxa yolwandle olwalumadlambedlu. Okwagcina kubiza ukuba abombutho wasemoyeni bathumele indiza enophephela izomlanda ayobhala!
Ngaseningizimu yendawo lakuhlalwa khona, ibhekene nogu oluyinkungu lwase Bloubergstrand, okuyikomkhulu loMphathi wesiqhingi. Lezizakhiwo eziyinqophamlandu ezinhle zibukeka zakhiwa kusabusa iNdlovukazi yaMaNgisi uVictoria, osekuyindawo yemihlangano neyokumukela izivakashi (evulelwa kuphela izitatamiswa).

Izindawu Ozibukayo

©Roger de la Harpe
Mawuqeda indawo yabahlali, umgwaqo ujikela kwesokudla uguduze ngejika laseningizimu yesiqhingi, kwesokudla wugu. Ukubuka lengxenye kukuhlaba ngaphakathi. Kulesosikhala nansiya iTable Mountain, nentaba iDevil’s Peak ne Lion’s Head zithe qingqo, zingamakhosi esiqhingi. Ngesikhathi uqhubeka ngemoto bese okukhumbisayo akubonise inkwali endala ka Van Riebeeck, Nezindawo zombayimbayi bempi yomhlaba, nendawo yezombutho eseyadilizwa, ubuke izakhiwo esezikhathele zamasosha kunye nendawo yoketukomkhumbi (Ifong Chung No 11, eyayihamba ngo 1975).
Ngeshwa bese ibhasi lijike manje lidundubale i Monte Hill, libheke kwi Lighthouse. Izinyamazane ziyabonakala zidla ehlokozini lentaba, bese ubona nanti ihlathi elicinene lika Blue Gum. Ocwepheni lwentaba bese kume i lighthouse. Yakhiwa ngo 1865 ibonakala ibanga elingamamayela awu 24 nelambu elikukhanya kwalo kuwu 1.5 kw. Ukukhanya kwayo, kude kucwayiza imizuzwana emihlanu emva kwemizuzwana eyisikhombisa. Isiyinsali yophawu lomlilo amaDutch ayevamise ukuwukhanyisa khona ngqo kulendawo, eminyakeni engamakhulu amathathu.
Eduze kwe lighthouse kunesihlanzimanzi esiphakela abahlali ngamanzi ahlanzekile kunye nesiteshi se radar i-De Wall. Ibhasi liqhubeka njalo ngentaba, ledlule la okwakuhlelelwe khona indawo yegalofu bese libuyele endaweni yabahlali. Phezu kwedolobhanyana, okobonakalayo emgwaqeni, amathuna esibili ezikhulu nodokotela ababesebenza e General Infirmary. Uma sewufikile endaweni yabahlali, ibhasi liyajika libuyele emumva libhekise amabombo ejele elikhulu.

Translated by Sbonelo Ngema